HPA confirms 17th COVID-19 related death in Maldives

Health Protection Agency (HPA) on Saturday confirmed the 17th COVID-19 related fatality in Maldives.

The deceased was a 52-year-old Maldivian female, who was admitted in the ER at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in the afternoon over breathing difficulties.

She passed away at 1120 hrs nearing midnight.

She is the 12th local to have succumbed to the virus. The remaining deaths concerned four Bangladeshi nationals and a Filipino citizen.

With this developments, Maldives now records total 3,949 confirmed and 1,304 positive cases, along with 2,613 recoveries and 17 deaths.

In addition to the Greater Male' region, active virus cases are currently present in Kelaa and Ihavandhoo of Haa Alif Atoll, Eydhafushi, Kamadhoo, Hithaadhoo and Seaside Finolhu resort of Baa Atoll, Kurendhoo and Hinnavaru of Lhaviyani Atoll, Maafushi of Kaafu Atoll and Fulidhoo of Vaavu Atoll.

As one of the most densely populated cities in the world, Maldives' capital Malé recorded a significant number of COVID-19 cases in the first weeks following the first confirmed local transmission on April 15.

Following three months of strict lockdown, the state initiated efforts to steer the country towards a 'new normal' with the phased easing of lockdown restrictions across the Greater Male' Region in July.

COVID-19 cases surged again after the government eased restrictions, reducing the total amount of recovered patients from the peak 86 to 66 percent.

On March 12, WHO classified the spread of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. To date, the new strain of novel coronavirus has infected over 18 million people and claimed over 688,700 lives around the world. However, out of those infected, more than 11.3 million people have recovered.